Game-based incentives for location-based actions

• US 8,454,441 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Ersever, Deniz, Kheskani, Hardik, Lam, Serena, Makarsky, Christopher Joseph, Mosites, Donald C., Mullin, Benjamin, Talapatra, Shantanu, Waldron, Justin, Wang, Jackson, Auterio, Kathleen
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US12/856,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 705/14.12
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for providing game-based incentives to users of online games as a reward for performing actions at physical locations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first message identifying a user;

accessing, using a processor of a machine, a game account of the user to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user;

determining a physical location and accessing a location account of the physical location to identify one or more attributes associated with the physical location;

determining a location-based action, that is an action the user can perform at the physical locations and wherein the determining of the location-based action for the user is based at least in part on one or more of the attributes associated with the physical location; and

transmitting a second message, wherein the second message comprises a description of the location-based action to be performed at the physical location, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for performing the location-based action at the physical location, wherein the incentive reward is an in-game asset corresponding to one or more of the identified games.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises GPS coordinates of a geographical location of the user at the time the first message was generated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an indication that the user has visited the physical location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an indication that the user has purchased one or more items from the physical location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises an indication of a search engine query by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is received from a client system of the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the client system is a mobile device, and wherein the first message is automatically generated by the mobile device based on the user'"'"'s proximity to the physical location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third message indicating that the user performed the location-based action.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third message is received from a networking system associated with the physical location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the third message comprises an indication that the user has visited the physical location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third message comprises GPS coordinates of the user, the GPS coordinates indicating that the user is at the physical location.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the third message comprises a numerical code obtained from the physical location.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the third message comprises a scannable code obtained from the physical location.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the third message comprises a proof of purchase.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the third message is received from a client system of the user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the game account of a user to identify a game state of the one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user, wherein the determining of the physical location and the location-based action for the user is based at least in part on the game state of one or more of the computer-implemented games.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the game state comprises a player character state of a player character associated with the user in the one or more games and the determining of the physical location and the location-based action for the user is based on the player character state of the player character associated with the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the player character state comprises the in-game assets associated with the player character and the determining of the physical location and the location-based action for the user is based on one or more of the in-game assets associated with the player character.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location-based action is further based at least in part on the incentive reward.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes comprise the types of items available at the physical location.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein an item available at the physical location is a sale of admission.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes relate to demographics of visitors of the physical location.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the demographics include the age of visitors of the physical location.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the demographics include the income of visitors of the physical location.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the demographics include the type of activities performed by visitors of the physical location.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the demographics include the duration of activities performed by visitors of the physical location.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes relate to demographics of visitors of the area surrounding the physical location.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes relate to a geography of the area surrounding the physical location.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes relate to weather at the physical location.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a further message corresponding to the location-based action performed by the user at the physical location;

generating the incentive reward for the user based on the receiving of the further message; and

crediting the game account of the user with the incentive reward.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based action is purchasing an item at the physical location.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based action is spending a specified amount of legal currency at the physical location.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the game account of the user to identify a game state of the one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user; and

generating an incentive reward for the user based at least in part on the game state of the one or more of the computer-implemented games.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the game state comprises a player character state of a player character associated with the user in the one or more games and the generating of the incentive reward for the user is based on the player character state of the player character associated with the user.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the player character state comprises the in-game assets associated with the player character and the generating of the incentive reward for the user is based on one or more of the in-game assets associated with the player character.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a location account of the physical location to identify one or more attributes associated with the physical location; and

generating the incentive reward for a user based at least in part on one or more of the attributes associated with the physical location.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein at least one of the attributes is a brand or trademark associated with the physical location and the incentive reward has a mark based at least in part on the brand or trademark.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the location-based action is purchasing an item at the physical location and the generating of the incentive reward is based at least in part on one or more of the attributes of the item.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the location-based action is spending a specified amount of legal currency at the physical location and the generating of the incentive reward is based at least in part on the amount of legal currency.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the location-based action is visiting the physical location and the incentive reward is based at least in part on the length of the visit.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the location-based action is visiting the physical location and the incentive reward is based at least in part on the proximity of the user to the physical location.